This invention relates to high temperature furnaces and particularly to such furnaces having refractory rollers forming a hearth for supporting therein and transporting therethrough workpieces to be treated.
One of the limiting factors in high temperature furnace operation is the temperature level which the components inside the heated furnace chamber can withstand. Typically furnaces use mesh belts, alloy rollers, pushers and similar devices to support or transport material. These devices are unable to withstand the desired high temperature levels associated with some processes.
For example, in sintering processes associated with the metallurgical techniques used in the manufacture of certain metal parts, a temperature level above that which conventional metal alloy furnace rollers can withstand is desirable. According to a common technique, powdered metal is compressed into a desired shape and then sintered to fuse the powder into a unitary piece without melting it. Generally, the higher the temperature to which the workpieces can be brought without melting, the better will be their strength characteristics and overall quality. Such workpieces frequently withstand higher temperature levels without melting than the furance transport mechanism can withstand without melting or otherwise deteriorating to such an extent that its operation is hindered.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a furnace transport mechanism capable of withstanding constantly high furnace temperatures.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a furnace transport mechanism wherein a series of rollers define a hearth for supporting or transporting the materials to be heated and wherein the rollers are flexibly mounted to provide clearance between the roller and the mounting structure to compensate for roller deformation during furnace operation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a furnace transport mechanism utilizing refractory rollers forming a work supporting and transporting hearth.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a high temperature furnace transport mechanism having strength sufficient to support a substantial weight thereon.